Measuring Joint Range Of Motion Research Articles

ANTHROPOMETRIC & JOINT ROM CHARACTERISTICS OF COLLEGIATE MALE LACROSSE ATHLETES

1365 Following written informed consent, anthropometric and range of motion(ROM) assessments were performed on 30 male club-sport lacrosse athletes (mean age 21.5±0.4 yrs). Data were subjected to SAS procedures by team skill level [First (F;n=14); Second (S;n=16)] and player position [Attack (AT;n=5); Defense (DF;n=8); Goalie (GO;n=2), Midfield (MD;n=15)]. Anthropometric data included height [HT(cm)], weight [WT(kg)], hydrostatic body fat and lean body mass [HBF(%) & HLBM(kg)], and skinfold body fat and lean body mass [SBF(%)& SLBM(kg)]. Bilateral joint ROM measurements (n=52) were obtained through standard goniometric techniques including wrist (8), forearm (4), elbow (4), shoulder (14), spine (6), hip (4), knee (4), and ankle (8). MANOVAs indicated no significant main effects by team skill level or player position. HT ranged from 182.5±1.8 (F) to 181.1±1.6 (S) while WT ranged from 81.7±2.0 (F) to 82.7±3.6 (S) across skill level. Across player position, HT varied from 178.3±2.0 (AT) to 184.7±2.4 (GO) and WT ranged from 75.7±2.7 (AT) to 94.3±4.1 (DF). HBF & SBF paramenters ranged from 13.5±1.1 & 13.2±1.2 (F) to 17.2±1.7 & 16.3±1.8 (S) demonstrating greater HLBM & SLBM in the F team (70.4±1.3 & 70.7±1.2) than S team(67.7±1.7 & 68.3±1.6). HBF & SBF ranged from 11.9±1.6 & 11.2±1.8 (GO) to 21.6±2.3 & 21.1±2.7 (DF) across player position, where HLBM & SLBM varied from 66.0±1.5 & 66.4±1.6 (AT) to 73.4±1.8 & 73.8±1.7 (DF). Anthropometric results indicated a mean body fat of 15% among lacrosse athletes. Inadequate ROM was observed in lumbar (flexion, extension), hip extension, wrist (extension,ulnar deviation,supination), shoulder (internal rotation, abduction, horizontal adduction) and ankle(dorsiflexion,eversion). Lacrosse athletes exhibited anthropometric results similar to other traditional high-intensity interval-trained collegiate athletes, however require greater emphasis on flexibility.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: relationship between joint hypermobility, urinary incontinence, and pelvic floor prolapse.

To compare the incidence of joint hypermobility and prolapse in incontinent and continent women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Forty-six patients with EDS were evaluated by history and physical examination. The degree of joint mobility of shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle was evaluated by orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists. Joint range of motion measurements were obtained using an orthopedic goniometer. The two EDS groups, incontinent (n = 28) and continent (n = 18) women, had a statistically similar mean age, weight, and parity (p = NS). In the EDS population overall joint hypermobility averaged 34.3%. Individuals with EDS type 3 had significantly more joint hypermobility than those with type 1 and 2 EDS. However, logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant relationship between prolapse and joint hypermobility. Wrist dorsiflexion (p < 0.05) and palmar flexion (p = 0.05) were the only variables related to incontinence. It has previously been reported that hypermobility was correlated with pelvic floor prolapse. Of 18 joint measures per patient, hypermobility of both wrist dorsiflexion and palmar flexion was associated with symptoms of incontinence. We were unable to document an association between joint hypermobility and prolapse in the EDS population.

Three-Dimensional Joint Range of Motion Measurements from Skeletal Coordinate Data

Frequently, joint range of motion is reported for a single plane (eg., sagittal, coronal, or transverse). However, the arc of joint motion during functional activities and many clinical tests encompasses motion in all three planes simultaneously. The purposes of this paper are to discuss a method to obtain relative joint three-dimensional angular displacement measurements using coordinates from skeletal landmarks and provide an analytical example of the method using three-dimensional angular displacement of the knee joint as a model. In order to calculate the three-dimensional relative motion, an orthogonal reference frame for each bone needs to be established. To establish the local reference frame, three noncollinear points are used to define unit vectors that are mutually perpendicular. Three-dimensional angles can be determined to describe the magnitude of the moving body rotation angles about the X, Y, and Z axes. These angles indicate the relative motion of body segments for abduction/adduction, flexion/extension, and internal/external rotation. The technique provides a more vigorous biomechanical understanding of joint motion and may have implications for measuring patient progress and evaluating joint mobilization treatment. This technique may also serve as a basis for developing new evaluation and treatment techniques.

Normative data on joint ranges of motion of 25- to 54-year-old males

The purpose of this study was to determine age-related changes of joint range of motion (ROM). Twenty-three joint ROM measurements based on descriptions given in the handbook of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (1965) were performed bilaterally (where appropriate) on fifty-five Caucasian males. The group was divided into three age subgroups. The subgroups consisted of twenty-five to thirty-four years, thirty-five to forty-four years, and forty-five years to fifty-years old males. Motion was measured to the nearest one degree. Measurements were repeated until two readings within 4 degrees were obtained. Results indicated a decrease in joint ROM with age, with decreases from 4% to 30%. Right versus left side ROM were different for the wrist and glenohumeral joints. This implies that the aging population with reduced ROM may be at a higher risk of injury for manual material handling and cumulative trauma disorders.